Experts ask WHO to take a more positive approach to tobacco harm reduction

Posted on October 6, 2018

Over 70 leading international experts in nicotine science, policy and practice have written to the World Health Organisation (WHO) (here) asking it to adopt a more positive approach to tobacco harm reduction with safer nicotine products. Four Australian experts are among the signatories.

Reduced-risk nicotine products such as vaporisers (e-cigarettes), Swedish snus and heated tobacco have the potential to bring the epidemic of smoking-caused death and disease to a more rapid conclusion.

The letter suggests smokers who cannot or choose not to quit smoking or nicotine should:

‘have the option to switch from the highest risk products (primarily cigarettes) to products that are, beyond reasonable doubt, much lower risk than smoking products’

Australia has been particularly slow to recognise and accept the public health benefits of tobacco harm reduction and is falling further behind other western countries. According to WHO, the following countries which ban vaping are (June 2018):

Vaping is legal and freely available in the UK, US, European Union, Canada and New Zealand... but not in Australia.